Jessica Gokee LaRose, PhD

Director

Dr. Jessica LaRose is a tenured Professor and Interim Chair of the Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences in the VCU School of Public Health. She is a clinical psychologist with specialized training in cardiovascular behavioral and preventive medicine in both pediatric and adult populations. Her program of research is focused on developing novel and sustainable interventions to promote cardiometabolic health among underserved populations. Partnership with participants and the populations she aims to serve is a core tenet of her work. She has expertise in the use of digital health and community-based implementation efforts to enhance the reach, impact, and sustainability of behavioral interventions.

Autumn Lanoye, PhD, LCP

Associate Director

Dr. Autumn Lanoye is a licensed clinical psychologist and Assistant Professor of Social and Behavioral Sciences in the VCU School of Public Health. Her primary research interest is the development and adaptation of lifestyle interventions in service of chronic disease prevention for at-risk subpopulations including emerging adults and cancer survivors. She is currently Principal Investigator of an American Cancer Society Institutional Research Grant examining the feasibility and acceptability of a lifestyle intervention designed to reduce chronic inflammation among emerging adult cancer survivors. She is a Co-Investigator on several NIH-funded trials investigating novel approaches to the behavioral management of obesity among young adults with and without a history of cancer.

Morgan Beasley, MS, ACSM EP-C, CCRP

Clinical Research and Exercise Coordinator

Morgan is a Clinical Research and Exercise Coordinator in both the Department of Pediatrics and Social and Behavioral Sciences. She has always had an interest in exercise and physical activity and loves being able to apply these in her career. Morgan received her BS in Exercise Science from VCU in 2018 and a MS in Health and Movement Sciences from VCU in 2020. Her research interests are in healthy lifestyle changes among teens and young adults.

Janai Anderson, MPH, CHES

Community Research Coordinator

Janai is a Community Coordinator in the Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences in the VCU School of Public Health. She received a BS in Health, Physical Education, and Exercise Science from VCU and Master's in Public Health with a concentration in Community Health from Baylor University. Throughout her career, Janai has worked primarily in the community health setting assisting low-income residents in the Church hill district of Richmond, Virginia by improving access to community and preventive care resources while also fostering relationships with grassroots organizations and community organizers. In the future, Janai hopes to open a non-profit organization that provides basic health resources to the underserved population in Church hill.

Christina La Rosa, BS

Clinical Research Associate

Christina is a Clinical Research Associate in the Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences in the VCU School of Public Health. She has always had a passion for mental health care- and a belief that an integrated, holistic approach between mental and physical healthcare is critical in cementing lasting change. She received a BS in Psychology from Furman University in 2022. She is currently working on her certificate in Clinical and Translational Sciences. She is thrilled and excited to be able to help more young adults take control of their mental and physical health.

Chloé S. Jones, PhD

Postdoctoral Fellow

Dr. Chloé Jones is a trained exercise physiologist and behavioral scientist with a focus on developing sustainable behavioral interventions for underserved communities. Her overarching research utilizes culturally tailored and theory-based methods to improve physical activity and lifestyle behaviors in Black communities to reduce health disparities including cardiometabolic risk factors. By fostering partnerships with residents, recreational facilities, health and other community-based organizations, she hopes to enhance the knowledge of health and overall wellbeing of underrepresented populations to increase health equity.

Karly Casanave-Phillips, PhD, MA

Postdoctoral Fellow

Dr. Karly Casanave-Phillips is a T32 Postdoctoral Fellow in the VCU Massey Comprehensive Cancer Center’s CPC-CHE training program. She joined the OPT for Health team in August 2023 after completing a dual degree program in Sport and Exercise Psychology (PhD) and Clinical Mental Health Counseling (MA) at West Virginia University. Her research focuses on developing integrated lifestyle interventions for AYA cancer survivors using a community based participatory approach. Ultimately, she hopes to leverage her work to advance health equity through multilevel interventions and community collaboration.

Lenka Zoey Juricekova, MA

PhD Student and Graduate Research Assistant

Lenka is a doctoral student in the Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences in the VCU School of Public Health. Her primary research interest is in psychological trauma and how people exposed to adverse experiences cope with distress. Currently, she is interested in vicarious trauma in pediatric oncology settings. Lenka received her degree in counseling in 2007 and psychology in 2013. She previously worked as a crisis intervention specialist and counselor, focusing on the pediatric population. She enjoys yoga, horseback riding, hiking, and writing short stories in her free time.

Anuoluwapo Owolabi, MHA

PhD Student and Graduate Research Assistant

Anu is a doctoral student in the Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences in the VCU School of Public Health. Her research interests lie in understanding the mechanisms behind risk-taking behaviors and health behavior change among adolescents and young adults. She aims to explore how social relationships and social processes influence health-related behaviors, such as physical activity, sexual risk behaviors, and substance use. Anu’s goal is to develop interventions that can improve behavioral health outcomes among adolescents and young adults. In her spare time, she enjoys engaging with the community, playing the violin, trading financial markets, and spending quality time with her family.

Maria Fatima Ali, MPhil

Masters of Public Health Student

Maria is an international student from Pakistan and a trained dentist with an MPhil in Microbiology, where she researched Hepatitis C (HCV). She is currently pursuing an MPH in Epidemiology at Virginia Commonwealth University School of Public Health. Her capstone research project focuses on periodontal disease and its association with smoking among adults with hypertension. With a robust background in both teaching and research, Maria is dedicated to advancing public health through her innovative research and educational efforts. She is actively applying her dental expertise to deepen her MPH studies and enhance her research outcomes.

Maryanne Kungu, CCRP

Masters of Public Health Student

Maryanne earned her Bachelor of Health Informatics degree from Georgia State University in Atlanta, Georgia, and an associate degree in pre-nursing from Atlanta Metropolitan State College also in Atlanta, Georgia. She obtained her SOCRA certification in 2018 and graduated with a Post-Baccalaureate Certificate in Clinical Research from VCU in May 2023. She is currently pursuing her MPH with a concentration in Applied Public Health at VCU’s School of Public Health. Her research interest is in health disparities impacting disadvantaged communities. Maryanne joined VCU in May 2016 as a Clinical Research Data Manager in the Department of Radiation Oncology at the Massey Comprehensive Cancer Center. She served in this role for 2 years before joining the Cancer Care Delivery Research team as the Research Coordinator. In this role she worked with Massey researchers to improve clinical outcomes and patient well-being through care delivery. Her last role at the Cancer Center was as the NCI/Affiliate Network Coordinator. She subsequently joined the Office of the Vice President for Research and Innovation as a Research Integrity Analyst in the Conflict-of-Interest Program in February 2022.